Forty-one points, three free throws
Darko Rajakovic had a number in his head when he sat down after Toronto’s 121-114 loss to Orlando on Friday night. Scottie Barnes had just scored a career-high 41 points on 19-of-34 shooting. He went to the line three times.
The Raptors coach did not dress it up. A player who scores 41 and shoots three free throws, he said, is “kind of BS.” Orlando got to the line 29 times. Toronto got there 15.
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A complaint about the standard, not the effort
Rajakovic did not claim the Magic were soft or the Raptors were pushed around. He said he did not believe Orlando was the more physical or more aggressive team, and that both sides played hard, good basketball. His point was about consistency: the same criteria should apply at both ends of the floor.
The loss stung for another reason. Orlando had lost 129-99 to the same Toronto team two nights earlier, and Friday’s win was the answer. Barnes did everything he could with the ball, yet the night ended with his coach talking about the whistle instead of the scoreboard.
Coaches can be fined for criticizing officials in public, so Rajakovic’s remarks may not stop at a postgame room. Toronto will hope the next night brings a shorter list of complaints.
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